Electrostatic recording paper toner section

ABSTRACT

A toner section is provided incorporating a pair of auger members moving a toner and iron filing mixture past the surface of the magnetic brush roller in which the toner mixture adheres to the magnetic brush roller at a desired thickness pursuant to the action of a stripper blade. Entrance means is provided to receive toner directly into the toner compartment where it is mixed with the iron filings and conveyed to the magnetic brush roller.

United States Patent Shaler et al.

[451 May23,1972

[54] ELECTROSTATIC RECORDING PAPER TONER SECTION [72] Inventors: David Shaler, Madison; Ralph A. Varrichio, Morristown, both of NJ.

[73] Assignee: EG&G lnc., Bedford, Mass.

[22] Filed: Dec. 7, 1970 211 App]. No.: 95,842

[52] US. Cl ..l18/637 51 Int. Cl. ..G03g 13/00 [58] FieldofSearch ..118/637; ll7/l7.5,3l; 10 l/DlG. 13

[56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 3,246,629 4/1966 Shelffo et a1 ..1 18/637 3,103,445 9/1963 Bogdonoff et al. ..1 18/637 3,387,586 6/1968 Shelffo et ....l17/17.5 3,399,652 9/1968 Gawron ..118/637 Primary ExaminerMervin Stein Assistant Examinerbeo Millstein Attorney-Ralph L. Cadwallader and Leo M. Kelly [57] ABSTRACT A toner section is provided incorporating a pair of auger members moving a toner and iron filing mixture past the surface of the magnetic brush roller in which the toner mixture adheres to the magnetic brush roller at a desired thickness pursuant to the action of a stripper blade. Entrance means is provided to receive toner directly into the toner compartment where it is mixed with the iron filings and conveyed to the magnetic brush roller.

9 Claims, 3 Drawing Figures PAIENTEDMAY 23 m2 INVENTORS DAV/D SHALER AND RALPH A VARRICHIO ELECTROSTATIC RECORDING PAPER TONER SECTION BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION In the development of electrostatic recording paper as is known in the art various methods are used to dust a toner across the charged electrostatic medium to which it adheres depending upon the polarity and magnitude of the charge thereon. Heretofore magnetic brush roller means have been provided wherein the toner is mixed with iron filings and the filings adhere to the surface of a roller which brushes the sur' face of the recording medium. Difficulty has been had with some of these devices in replenishing the toner which is used up but of course the magnetic filings remain with the magnetic roller. The difliculty has been had that the prior devices have required the removal of the iron filings and replacement with a mixture of toner powder and iron filings. The present invention aims to overcome the difficulties of the prior constructions by providing a construction wherein the toner powder is directly emptied into the compartment chamber for mixture with the previously used iron filings. By this means it has been found that replenishment of the toner powder is only necessary once for each roll of paper used.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION In accordance with the invention an electrolytic recording paper toner section is provided incorporating a toner compartment, auger means for mixing the toner in the toner compartment and for applying the toner mixture to a magnetic brush roller. The path of the toner mixture is so arranged by the use of a partition member that there is a continuous circulation of the toner mixture from the toner opening through one auger and around a partition or separating member and back through another auger which applies the mixture to the surface of the magnetic brush roller ahead of a caliper bar setting the thickness of the coating on the magnetic brush roller. By reason of the construction used replenishment of the toner is achieved merely by supplying it into a filler opening into the toner of the compartment.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. 1 is a top view of a toner section with the cover removed, a portion of the cover being shown in position so as to define the location of the toner filling opening.

FIG. 2 is a sectional view taken along the lines 2 2 FIG. 1.

FIG. 3 is a side view of the separator plate 14.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT Referring to the drawing there is shown a toner section including a toner compartment 1 which has a floor 2, side walls 3 and 4 and end wall 5, and a cover which may be in two portions 6 and 7. Within the compartment 1 are positioned augers 9 and 10 having threads so arranged as to move a toner mixture of iron filings and toner powder in the direction of the arrows 11 and 12. Between the augers 9 and 10 is positioned a separator plate 14 preferably with its upper end 15 inclined at an angle towards the small auger 10. The separator plate 14 is shown in detail in FIG. 3 and closes or practically closes the area between the two augers excepting at the ends thereof wherein are defined openings 17a, 17b and 18 which permit the passage of a toner mixture from one auger to another and allow the circulation in the passage as indicated by the arrows l1 and 12. The openings 17a, 17b and 18 in the partition are shaped as shown to provide a homogeneous mixture of iron filings and toner powder. The shapes of these openings with respect to the remainder of the separator plate 14 are shown in relative proportions to the width and length of the strip. The toner compartment is charged with a toner mixture up to approximately one half of the depth of the opening 18 and not quite up to the height of the top edge of the auger screw surface. A magnetic brush roller 20 is supported in the toner compartment in parallel relationship with the augers 9 and 10 and preferably of a larger diameter so that its upper surface projects through an opening 21 in the cover 6 of the toner compartment. The magnetic brush roller 20 as is usual in the art may be provided with a surface etched or formed in any desired manner or alternatively may have a smooth outer surface. Also positioned within the toner compartment 1 is a caliper bar and end stripper 22 positioned adjacent the bottom edge of the magnetic brush 20 and arranged in spaced relationship with the magnetic brush roller 20 so as to allow a predetermined thickness of coating to adhere to the surface of the magnetic brush roller 20. The caliper bar 22 together with the surface of the roller 20 efiectively forms a wall for the toner compartment 1 so as to prevent the flow of the toner mixture outwardly thereof.

Also located within the toner compartment 1 is a stripper bar 24 positioned adjacent the top edge of the magnetic brush roller 20 in' contact therewith but positioned somewhat under the lower surface of the cover 6, the purpose of the stripper bar 24 being to strip or clear the surface of the magnetic brush roller 20 from any adhering toner mixture so that for each rotation of the magnetic brush roller 20 there is applied a fresh coating thereto .of the toner mixture. The cover member 6 extends the length of the compartment preferably with an upwardly turned edge 25 spaced from the magnetic brush roller 20. The cover member 7 is positioned over the auger 9 and only need extend over an end of the auger 9 in which event the remainder of the top of the toner compartment is closed by an extension of the cover 6. The cover 7 has an opening in its surface defining a toner replenisher filler opening 26. It is not necessary that a closure be provided for this opening 26 but one may be provided if desired. The rotation of the magnetic brush roller 20 and of the augers 9 and 10 may be achieved by the use of a drive motor 30 driving the roller 20 by a belt or chain 31. Gear means 32 may be used to rotate the augers 9 and 10 from a gear 34 at the end of the roller 20.

In the operation of the toner section in accordance with the invention it is placed in position as for example within a facsimile recorder adjacent the recording paper after it has been charged with an electrostatic image. The toner powder carried by the iron filings on the magnetic brush roller 20 contacts the charged surface of the recording paper as is known in the art and a small amount of toner is attracted to the paper away from the surface of the iron filings making direct contact with the roller 20. The filings are then carried by rotation of the magnetic brush roller 20 to the stripper plate 24 where they are removed from the surface of the magnetic brush roller. The stripped off filings are carried by the auger 10 past the opening 17 in partition 14 and carried along auger 9 for further mixture, and in the case toner is being replenished, to receive toner powder poured in through the opening 26. The toner and iron filings are continually mixed by the augers 9 and 10 and applied to the surface of the magnetic brush roller 20 as the roller 20 rotates adjacent the auger 10. The caliper bar and end stripper 22 acts as a doctor blade in allowing only a predetermined thickness of the toner mixture to coat the surface of the magnetic brush roller 20.

It is important that the toner compartment be adequately charged with the toner mixture and the sizes of the auger and of the openings 17a, 17b and 18 should be such that there is no pile-up of the toner mixture at either ends of the augers but the flow must be even so that the entire length of the magnetic brush roller 20 is adequately covered with fresh toner each rotation of the roller 20.

From the foregoing description it will be seen that a novel means has been provided for applying toner replenisher to a toner section which is operable even while the toner section is in operation coating an electrostatic recording paper.

While the invention has been described and illustrated with reference to a specific embodiment thereof it will be understood that other embodiments may be resorted to without departing from the invention. Therefore, the invention set out above should be considered as illustrative and not as limiting the scope of the following claims.

We claim:

1. An electrostatic recording paper toner section readily replenishable with toner powder comprising a toner compartment, :1 cover member for the toner compartment including means defining' a longitudinally extending magnetic brush roller opening therein, a pair of augers rotatably supported in the toner compartment, a magnetic brush roller supported in the toner compartment in parallel relationship with the augers, the magnetic brush roller supported so that its upper surface projects through the magnetic brush roller opening in the cover member, motor drive means for the augers and the magnetic brush roller, a separator plate member extending from the bottom of the toner compartment at least approximately to the cover member, means defining an opening at both ends of the separator plate, the opening at one end of said separator plate is a stepped opening while the opening at the other end of said plate is of generally rectangular shape, a caliper bar and end stripper positioned within the toner compartment adjacent the bottom edge of the magnetic brush roller in spaced relationship therewith, a stripper bar positioned within the toner compartment adjacent the top edge of the magnetic brush roller in contact therewith, and means defining a toner filler opening through the top of the cover member.

2. An electrostatic recording paper toner section according to claim 1 in which one of the angers has a larger diameter than the other of the angers.

3. An electrostatic recording paper toner section according to claim 2 in which the small auger is adjacent said magnetic brush roller.

4. An electrostatic recording paper toner section according to claim ii in which the means defining a toner opening is located at one end of the toner compartment.

5. An electrostatic recording paper toner section according to claim 11 in which the means defining a toner opening is located at one end of the toner compartment over the end of the auger driving toner away from said opening.

6. An electrostatic recording paper toner section according to claim 1 in which the toner compartment contains iron filings coated with toner.

7. An electrostatic recording paper toner section according to claim 6 in which said stripper bar is spaced a predetermined distance from said magnetic brush roller thus providing an evenly distributed coating of uniform thickness of iron filings coated with toner on the surface of said magnetic brush roller.

8. An electrostatic recording paper toner section according to claim ll wherein the means defining a toner opening is located at one end of the toner compartment over the end of the auger driving toner away from said opening.

9. An electrostatic recording paper toner section according to claim 8 in which one of the augers has a larger diameter than the other of the augers, the small auger is adjacent said magnetic brush roller, the toner compartment contains iron filings coated with toner and said stripper bar is spaced a predetermined distance from said magnetic brush roller thus providing an evenly distributed coating of uniform thickness of iron filings coated with toner on the surface of said mag netic brush roller. 

1. An electrostatic recording paper toner section readily replenishable with toner powder comprising a toner compartment, a cover member for the toner compartment including means defining a longitudinally extending magnetic brush roller opening therein, a pair of augers rotatably supported in the toner compartment, a magnetic brush roller supported in the toner compartment in parallel relationship with the augers, the magnetic brush roller supported so that its upper surface projects through the magnetic brush roller opening in the cover member, motor drive means for the augers and the magnetic brush roller, a separator plate member extending from the bottom of the toner compartment at least approximately to the cover member, means defining an opening at both ends of the separator plate, the opening at one end of said separator plate is a stepped opening while the opening at the other end of said plate is of generally rectangular shape, a caliper bar and end stripper positioned within the toner compartment adjacent the bottom edge of the magnetic brush roller in spaced relationship therewith, a stripper bar positioned within the toner compartment adjacent the top edge of the magnetic brush roller in contact therewith, and means defining a toner filler opening through the top of the cover member.
 2. An electrostatic recording paper toner section according to claim 1 in which one of the augers has a larger diameter than the other of the augers.
 3. An electrostatic recording paper toner section according to claim 2 in which the small auger is adjacent said magnetic brush roller.
 4. An electrostatic recording paper toner section according to claim 1 in which the means defining a toner opening is located at one end of the toner compartment.
 5. An electrostatic recording paper toner section according to claim 1 in which the means defining a toner opening is located at one end of the toner compartment over the end of the auger driving toner away from said opening.
 6. An electrostatic recording paper toner section according to claim 1 in which the toner compartment contains iron filings coated with toner.
 7. An electrostatic recording paper toner section according to claim 6 in which said stripper bar is spaced a predetermined distance from said magnetic brush roller thus providing an evenly distributed coating of uniform thickness of iron filings coated with toner on the surface of said magnetic brush roller.
 8. An electrostatic recording paper toner section according to claim 1 wherein the means defining a toner opening is located at one end of the toner compartment over the end of the auger driving toner away from said opening.
 9. An electrostatic recording paper toner section according to cLaim 8 in which one of the augers has a larger diameter than the other of the augers, the small auger is adjacent said magnetic brush roller, the toner compartment contains iron filings coated with toner and said stripper bar is spaced a predetermined distance from said magnetic brush roller thus providing an evenly distributed coating of uniform thickness of iron filings coated with toner on the surface of said magnetic brush roller. 